Box construction



June 13, 1933.

w. D. swART BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 19, 1931 [III /fff

Patented June 13, 1933 WLLIAM D. SWART,

LUMBER COMPANY, 0F NAS-HUA,

JERSEY Application filed August 19, 1931.

This invention; relates to boxes and more 'particularly to those which are secured together by nails. In order to strengthen of this lrind the ends are sometimes reinforced as by metal straps passed therearound and secured thereto. T his etectually prevents splitting of the box end when it is made in one piece, or separation ot the parts when it is made of separate boards secured together. These metal straps when arranged on the outside of the box, how ever, interfere with the handling oi' the box, being' liable to catch in neighboringboxes or other objects and being lilrely to cut or tear the hands ot those who handle them. To avoid these objections the straps may be passed around the end boards only of the box and between them and the side, top and bottom members so that the straps are not exposed in the finished box. It is customary to supply to the nails which secure the parts ot the box together some the nail is driven and which thereafter hardens and makes withdrawal of the nails diiiicult. lt is found, however, when such coated nails are driven through the metal of theV straps most ot the cement is stripped off so that its utility is largely destroyed.

AIn accordance with this invention, therea fore, the metal strap is provided with open-- ings er slots between its side edges substanf tially wider than the thickness of the nails and ot substantial length and preterably several. times the length of the continuous spaces between the slots. The uncut margins of the strap afford the required reinforcement to the wood oi the box, and even when the strap is positioned between the ends and other wall portions of' the box where it is out et sight, the openings through the strap boing of substantial length relative to the uncut portions insures that a substantial portion of the securing nails shall pass through the openings instead. o' through the metal itself. A relatively large proportion of the coated nails thus have their coating material unaffected by the presence of the strap so that adequate holding of the nails isinsured even though some of the nails may kind ot cement n which is softened by the heat generated when 0F NASHA, NEW l-LAllVlI?SI-IIlRIl,` ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN BOX & NEW HAMPSHIRE, ikl CORPORATION` OFk NEW BOX CONSTRUCTION serial No. 557,990.

pass through the metal and have' the cement coating stripped oil. vThe uncut portions ci the 'strap between the slots hold the mar,4 ginal continuous portions spaced apart and provideportions vthrough which nails may be driven to initially secure the strap t0 the box ends before the other wall members are secured' thereto. Y v

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of the metal strap.

Figure 2 is a perspective of thesame asL a portion of it might be bent around the marginal edge ot a box end.

Figure 3 is a perspective of a box showing the straps in place.

Figure 4 is a detail section on line 4--4l of Figure 3.

Figure is a detail section of Figure 4,

Referring to the drawing, the reinforcing' strip material, as shown best in Figures l and 2, comprises a metallic strip l having slots 2 between uncut and continuous side on une 5 -5 srA'rssLPATENT OFFICE tI margins 3. These slots are spaced byuncutz portions 4 which are relatively short with' respect to the lengths of the slots 2 so that in any vsubstantial length of the strapping the aggregate slot length is substantially greater, prererably several times as great, as the aggregate lengths of the uncut portions between the slotsf "lhese uncut portions hold the side margins v3 spaced vapart and also furnish convenient portions througlr` which securing nails 6 may be driven to initially secure the strapping material to the edges ot the `desired wall portions of the box.

In Figure 2 a piece ot'this strapping is shownas bent to conformto three sides of the edge ota box end, holes at 5 being shown through which the nails G for securing the straps in position before the neighboring wall members of the box are secured thereto may be driven. Such holes may be pre-formed it desired, but usually thestrap-Y i ping material is of such thin stock as to permit the nails to be driven ldirectly there! through without diiiculty.

iso

The strapping may be applied about the edges of the box ends as shown in Figure 3, being secured in position initially thereto as by the nails 6 as shown best in Figure 4. The other wall members of the box which are intended to overlap the edges of the'end member 7 may then be placed in position and secured by the nails 8, preferably cement coated, which are driven through the outer wall members such as the sides 9 and bottom l0 into the end 7. These may be driven spaced as desired and substantially midway of the thickness of the end wall 7 so as to come between and out of eontactwith the uncut marginal. portions 8 of the strapping. Due to the much tion of slot length to the length of the un cut portions between the slots the nails may be driven wherever desired along the margins of the upper wall members with the assurance' that va substantial portion of them will pass through the slots of the strapping rather than through the uncut portions 4. They will thus be out of contact with the metal portion of the strapping so that their cement coatings will notlbe affected thereby and full holding power will be available. The position of these nails, for example, are as shown in Figures 4 and 5. While occasionally a'nail may pass through the uncut portion 4 of the strapping, nevertheless the proportion of nailswhich will be so driven to those which are driven through the slots will be so small that no serious weakening of the boxvwill result therefrom.

By this construction it will be seen that it 'f is feasible to reinforce the box by strapping applied inwardly ofthe outer wall portions of it catching in where there is no danger surrounding packages or interfering with proper handling but at the same time the desirableresults following the use of cement coated nails may be realized to a very substantial extent.

From the foregoing description of an embodiment of this invention it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims I claim: u

l. Reinforcing strapping for boxes which comprises a metallic strip provided with slots of substantial width arranged lengthwise between continuous side margins, the total slot length being substantially greater than the total length of the portions between said slots.

2. A box having wall members secured to its ends by cement coated nails, and reinforcing metallic strapping interposed between said members and ends and having slots of substantial length between continuous side margins spaced substantially wider greater aggregate propor- Y signature. -1 WILLIAM D. SWART. 

